OWINGS MILLS, Md. (WJZ)– A toy poodle is killed by a pit bull in an Owings Mills townhouse community. The little dog’s owners are devastated. The attack refuels controversy over the pit bull breed and what some call a pattern of violence.

Monique Griego has more on this latest mauling.

This latest attack involving a pit bull mix turned deadly. And for pit bull supporters, it couldn’t have come at a worse time.

Sallie Parsons can’t get the images out of her head.

“It’s horrible. I don’t even know. It’s horrible,” she said.

The horrific scene happened on Thursday. Parsons was walking her 1-year-old toy poodle Chloe near Greenspring Valley Road when all of a sudden, two dogs rounded a bush and one of them– a lab/pit bull mix– attacked.

“I was screaming. I didn’t know what to do because the dog would not let her go. She had a grip on her,” Parsons said.

The 9-pound poodle was no match.

“We finally got her out of the dog’s mouth but by the time we got her to the vet, she was already dead,” said Parsons.

The pit bull mix belonged to Parsons’ neighbor.

“She said she didn’t know how they escaped from her yard, that typically they stayed on the back porch,” Elise Armacost, spokesperson for the Baltimore County Police Department, said.

This latest attack comes after Maryland’s highest court ruled pit bulls are inherently dangerous, making it easier for owners to be held liable.

The decision has sparked outrage in pit bull supporters who are fighting to clear the breed’s name and say the ruling will cause more harm than good.

“We all want the same thing. We want safe communities and breed-discriminatory laws don’t do that,” said one person.

WJZ learned the dog that killed Chloe had previously bitten another dog.

During our interview, the dog’s owner showed up and made a tearful apology.

But for Parsons and her daughter, it was too late.

“Part of me does think it’s the owner’s fault especially in this case,” she said.

Animal Control is now investigating the case. They’ll determine what, if any, charges will be filed against the owner.

B-More Dogs is holding a community event Saturday at Herring Run Park from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. This event provides free vaccines for area dog owners. This is one of B-More Dog’s programs to assist pet owners in Baltimore.